1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general relates to dispensing devices and, more particularly, to devices that dispense and apply a lotion, such as a suntan, medicinal, or body-lotion to the body.
There has been a long-standing need to dispense lotions of all types. Some of the more common types of lotions include the many varieties of body-lotions. Body-lotions are commonly used to moisturize, smooth, and generally to refresh the skin, although some other types of body-lotions may claim a more novel benefit.
Suntan or sun-blocking types of lotions are also routinely applied to all exposed body areas.
Lotions are also available by either prescription or as an over-the-counter drug useful to treat various disorders of the skin. For example, cortisone creams and other similar medications are available to treat common skin maladies.
Difficulty in applying any type of a lotion to a remote or a distal area of the body often arises. This problem is exacerbated among the elderly who may experience an increased lack of flexibility. For example, applying a lotion to his or her own feet, if that person is elderly, can present a significant challenge to overcome.
Similarly, those with injuries or other disabilities find it difficult, at times, to apply lotions to their bodies.
It is also quite common for even those who are youthful and healthy to struggle when attempting to apply a lotion to certain areas of their body, such as to the center of the back.
Lotion applicator devices are known and are basically sponges attached to a stick-like member. While these types of devices are useful in reaching remote or distal areas of the body they cause an excessive amount of waste of the lotion.
This is because the lotion must be applied to the sponge area sufficient first to saturate it. An additional quantity of lotion must then be applied to the sponge sufficient to provide an excess on the sponge that can be transferred to the skin when the sponge area is contacted with the body.
The amount of lotion that is required to saturate the sponge is unavailable for application to the body and is therefore waste. This amount of waste is multiplied by the number of times the sponge is cleaned between uses, as is described in greater detail hereinafter.
The excess quantity of lotion above that required to saturate the sponge is difficult to measure. If too little is applied, an insufficient amount of lotion is applied to the body. Conversely, if too much lotion is applied to the sponge, then an excess amount is invariably applied to the body as well at the initial point the sponge contacts the body. Therefore, a further problem of the prior art is difficulty in regulating an appropriate quantity of lotion to be applied.
As some types of lotions, especially those available only by prescription, are expensive, reducing waste is an important consideration.
Another problem is drying of the lotion on the sponge. Failure to remove (i.e., clean) the lotion from the sponge can cause some types of residual lotion that may be left on the sponge to decay, ferment, or possibly even to serve as a food source for micro-organisms. This, in turn, necessitates having to wash the sponge after each application of lotion to the body has occurred.
Simple hygiene habits for many people would require that they clean the sponge between uses, regardless of any deleterious effects of doing so.
Cleaning lotion off of the sponge exacerbates waste in that even the degree of lotion normally required to saturate the sponge is lost between uses.
Another problem with any prior art device is limited reach, especially if the applicator portion itself serves as, or includes as a component thereof, a container. It is simply not practical to make a lotion container and applicator combination sufficiently long so as to facilitate reaching the most remote or distal areas of the body.
Accordingly there exists today a need for a lotion dispenser and applicator that enables application to distal areas of the body and which lessens waste.
Clearly, such an apparatus would be a useful and desirable device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Lotion dispensers and applicators are, in general, known. For example, the following patents describe various types of these devices:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,682 to Markle, Sep. 17, 1963; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,274 to Freeman, Jan. 23, 1979; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,356 to Kales, Nov. 20, 1984; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,661 to Sutton et al., Oct. 9, 1990; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,339 to DeForest et al., Aug. 31, 1993; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,111 to Arispe, Nov. 1, 1994; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. Design 404,125 to Weinstein, Jan. 12, 1999.
In addition, in the spring 1997 catalog "Healthy Living", on page 19 a device for applying lotion entitled "Lotion Applicator" was found as was a device in the summer 1999 catalog "Walter Drake" on page 44, entitled "L Applique".
While the structural arrangements of the above described devices, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.